The arrival of the Transfer Portal in college football changed the sport more than anyone ever could've imagined. Pairing the Transfer Portal with NIL and later Revenue Sharing gave players a form of free agency, which schools could use to quickly fix their roster. Few programs have been better at using the Transfer Portal than the Oregon Ducks under Dan Lanning.
The Oregon Ducks have used the Transfer Portal to land future stars ranging from Bo Nix to Dante Moore to Bucky Irving and Dillon Thieneman. While the Ducks have found superstars in the Transfer Portal, there have been a handful of times when the additions everyone got excited about turned out to be duds.
The 3 most disappointing Oregon transfer additions
Makhi Hughes - Running Back
Oregon came into the offseason last year looking to replace starter Jordan James at running back. While the Ducks have often deployed a rotation of backs, the Ducks went out and made a major splash by picking up Tulane running back Makhi Hughes. In his two seasons with the Green Wave, Hughes rushed for 2,779 yards as it looked like the offense was getting a phenom.
Instead, Makhi Hughes ended up somehow being the odd man out in the running back room despite getting a ton of preseason All-American hype. When it became clear Hughes wasn't going to have a major role in the offense, he opted to redshirt, ending his tenure in October with just 70 yards.
Considering how much hype Makhi Hughes came with and how little he delivered, he's hands down the biggest miss the Ducks have had in the Transfer Portal.
Isaiah World - Offensive Tackle
After losing Josh Conerly Jr to the 1st round of the NFL Draft, Oregon needed to go out and land a great offensive tackle. The Ducks went out and landed Nevada transfer Isaiah World in a major win for the staff. While you typically would have concerns about a tackle from a lower level, every NFL evaluator raved about World as a potential 1st round pick while ranking as 24/7 Sports' top overall transfer.
While Isaiah World didn't necessarily have a bad season, he never lived up to the hype he received in the offseason. In games against Penn State, Washington, Texas Tech, and Indiana, World struggled the most, hurting the offense in the only two losses. World would've been a player Oregon would've loved to mold over multiple years, but in the end he's off to the NFL.
Caleb Chapman - Wide Receiver
Coming out of High School, Caleb Chapman was a highly sought after recruit, signing with the in-state Texas A&M Aggies. In his first two seasons playing for the Aggies, Caleb Chapman caught 28 passes for 413 yards and 3 touchdowns. After the flashes he showed at Texas A&M, Dan Lanning brought in Caleb Chapman as a member of his 1st transfer class.
Caleb Chapman is an intriguing sophomore receiver. Stumbled upon him while studying @seniorbowl QB Kellen Mond.
— Frontline Sports Media (@FrontLineSM_) January 25, 2021
Chapman is 6-5 195 pounds, with potential as a vertical threat. Wins his rep at the release point before stacking his defender.
Mond throws an accurate deep post! pic.twitter.com/h5GMrRNJGZ
Injuries early in his career at Texas A&M seemed to slow Chapman's development, carrying into his Oregon career. Chapman was only able to appear in 9 games for the Ducks, with just 1 catch for 15 yards before entering the Transfer Portal. Given how exciting the flashes were when Chapman was healthy, it's disappointing he couldn't put it together with Bo Nix at quarterback.
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